A rare but brilliant goal by Nigel Winterburn and a neat late finish from Dennis Bergkamp gave Arsenal what should prove an unassailable lead over a moderate Nantes last night. But this was a far from impressive display from Arsene Wenger's team.
After Marc Overmars had given them the lead with an early penalty they rarely sparkled, despite almost incessant pressure and a one-man advantage for much of the second half. Finally their perseverance paid off when Winterburn shot in from 25 yards and Bergkamp slotted in from an Overmars pass.
Having tumbled out of the Champions' League into this competition, Arsenal knew they could not afford to slip up again. There is no place in the Auto Windscreens Shield or the Islington six-a-side trophy for third-round losers in the UEFA Cup.
Wenger, though, must have expected a win against a team struggling near the foot of the French league. His players had shown signs of rediscovering their best form in dismantling Middlesbrough 5-1 at Highbury on Saturday, and for the first time in Europe they were on true home turf rather than at Wembley, where in two seasons of European matches they have won only twice.
Although Arsenal's defence was weakened by the absence of Martin Keown and Lee Dixon, their midfield was strengthened by the return alongside Emmanuel Petit of Patrick Vieira, whose seven-match ban applies only to domestic fixtures. If anyone was likely to be cowed by that it was surely the French.
Sure enough, after a surprisingly error-prone and hesitant start, Arsenal took the lead in the 15th minute. Petit's pass found Kanu surging into the area, and, when the Nigerian was fouled by Medhi Leroy, Overmars squeezed the penalty just past Mickael Landreau's left hand.
The Dutchman, who scored a hat-trick on Saturday, might have added a second minutes later. But after Vieira had skilfully lost his marker and pulled the ball back towards the edge of the area, Overmars shot too close to the defender Nicolas Savinaud, who cleared off the line.
Despite playing three up front, a lightweight Nantes conjured little to trouble David Seaman until the final moments of the half when Hassan Ahamada, put clean through, screwed his shot wide of the far post.
By then Arsenal, although some way short of their best, could have been further ahead through Kanu and Bergkamp. But more worrying for Wenger was the sight of Petit retiring with what appeared to be a recurrence of an injury to his left knee shortly before the break.
The defender Jean-Marc Chanelet at least added spice to the proceedings by being sent off on the hour for a foul on Overmars which earned him a second booking, leaving Highbury to sit back and hope the floodgates would open.
Arsenal: Seaman, Vivas, Winterburn, Adams, Grimandi, Ljungberg (Henry 70), Vieira, Petit (Parlour 37), Overmars, Bergkamp, Kanu (Suker 70). Subs Not Used: Manninger, Malz, Luzhny, Upson. Booked: Grimandi, Overmars. Goals: Overmars 13 pen, Winterburn 81, Bergkamp 90.
Nantes: Landreau, Gillet, Carriere, Sibierski, Piocelle, Leroy, Savinaud, Monterrubio (Gope-Fenepej 70), Chanelet, Deroff (Olembe 41), Ahamada (Toure 53). Subs Not Used: Grondin, Devineau, Mace, Aristouy. Sent Off: Chanelet (60). Booked: Chanelet.
Referee: D Koren (Israel).
